Pristine Sistine™ Early Entrance Small Group Vatican Tour

Start your day at the Vatican Museums on our original early morning tour.

Our Pristine Sistine™ Chapel tour is the product of 13 years of constant development and refinement. We've found that the trick for this tour is to enter the Vatican right as it opens for the day so you can experience the most beautiful (and busiest) rooms—the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel—before the majority of the daytime crowds arrive.

Be among the first guests of the day to stroll through the halls of the Vatican Museums.

Passing through the iconic galleries with your expert guide, you'll take in some of the world’s most incredible works of art, stopping at the Belvedere Courtyard, the Gallery of the Maps, the four Raphael Rooms, and more on your way to the Sistine Chapel. It can be difficult to navigate these spaces later in the day due to the crowds, but on this Vatican early morning tour, your guide will have more time and space to give you a proper explanation. There are so many incredible details in these frescoes, including likenesses of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo hidden in plain sight in the School of Athens.

Now that your eye is trained to great Renaissance masterpieces, it's time for the main event. You'll enter the Sistine Chapel just as the doors open to groups and ahead of the daytime crowds. By this time, your guide will have given you the full history of this space and pointers on what to look out for. Take your time and enjoy some of the most iconic images on earth. After 15 to 20 minutes of quiet contemplation, you'll embark on a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Finish your early morning Vatican tour by skipping the line into St. Peter's Basilica.

From the Vatican Museums, we'll lead you through a special-access corridor to enter St. Peter's Basilica*, skipping the enormous general-access lines. Inside, you'll enjoy a full St. Peter's Basilica tour and learn to fully appreciate the artistry that went into works like Bernini’s monumental altar canopy, Michelangelo’s moving Pietà, and the titanic dome.

Explore the treasures of the Vatican with an art historian guide and a small, intimate group.

The Vatican Museums are home to some of the world's most precious artifacts and impressive artworks, but it can be hard to understand the significance of the works without some expert help. That's where our guides come in. They're all experienced art historians with perfect English. Throughout your early morning Vatican tour, they'll show you the highlights of the collection and enrich your visit with witty anecdotes and entertaining details. And as your group size is limited to a maximum of 15 guests (with top-quality headsets), you’ll always be able to hear your guide and engage with their stories, asking all the questions you can think of.

Most people only visit the Vatican once in a lifetime (if ever!). Our Pristine Sistine™ Chapel Tour guarantees that you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while you're there. As it's one of our popular tours, we recommend that you book it early. If you find that it is sold out on your available dates, we have several other very similar tours which we recommend you check out. These include: Pristine Sistine at Closing Time: Late Entry Vatican Tour The Complete Vatican Tour with Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica VIP Vatican Key Master’s Tour: Unlock the Sistine Chapel.

Please note that this description is an example and your experience may vary depending on the season, day of the week, and group size. Regardless of where your tour goes, you always have an excellent experience.